TORONTO -- Toronto FC have shown they can go out and get a new striker at the drop of a hat.
Yet the team's search for an experienced and quality centre back lingers on and on and on and on.
How the Reds could have used a defensive quarterback in Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo before an announced crowd of 19,652 fans at BMO Field.
Calen Carr's goal just before halftime was the product of some appalling marking from TFC, as Houston was allowed two uncontested headers inside the box on the play before the ball sailed into the back of the net. On the second goal, right back Jeremy Hall overplayed a simple pass, allowing Brad Davis to break into the box and slip the ball across to Brian Ching to slot past goalkeeper Milos Kocic.
It was this exhibition of defensive ineptitude that underscored Toronto's need to sign an accomplished defender that can anchor and command the back line, something the club has been in desperate need of since entering Major League Soccer in 2007.
Toronto was attempting to register its first four-game winning streak in franchise history, and temporarily climb out of last place in MLS. Instead, the Reds remain rooted to the bottom of the standings with a 5-12-4 record and 19 points.
Houston (10-5-7, 37 points) has won four straight and is unbeaten in its last seven matches.
Striker Eric Hassli, officially introduced as the club's newest player earlier in the day, was not named to the Reds' roster. The Frenchman is still recovering from an ankle injury he picked up prior to being traded to Toronto from Vancouver last week.
Shortly after leading scorer Danny Koevermans was lost to a season-ending knee injury on July 14, Toronto leapt into action and acquired Hassli, evidence that team management can act swiftly and address roster deficiencies as they arise.
And yet management continues to drag its feet over bringing in defensive reinforcements. TFC was negotiating with Swedish veteran Olof Mellberg, but pulled out of the deal due to financial reasons. That's the story from league commissioner Don Garber, anyway. Toronto coach Paul Mariner keeps declining to comment and offer his side of the story on the Mellberg affair, despite being given ample opportunity to do so.
Mariner can't keep ducking the question, and TFC can't continue on like this and expect to get anywhere without a defensive quarterback. The Toronto coach acknowledged the latter point in the post-match press conference, and said the team is trying to sign a new defender.
"I could have brought in scores of (defenders by now) but they're not the right players. What is the point of making a panic buy? We're here for the long haul; we're not here for 10 minutes. I'm hopeful that we'll get it done over the weekend," Mariner stated.
Sounds good, but seeing is believing. We've heard this so many times from TFC over the years, only for nothing to materialize. We're now in Year Six, and this franchise is inexcusably still looking for an organizer in the centre of defence. Fan and media skepticism can surely be forgiven.
The opening half turned out to be a dour midfield battle, with both teams running out of attacking ideas and stuttering in the final third of the field. Forward Quincy Amarikwa, another newcomer acquired in a recent trade, made his first start for the Reds but failed to gel with Ryan Johnson in leading the attack.
Mariner warned his players about Macoumba Kandji in the buildup to Saturday's contest, and it proved sage advice. The Houston forward used his speed to break in on goal twice in the opening minutes, only to be thwarted by last-ditch tackles from TFC defenders Richard Eckersley and Logan Emory.
Toronto's lone scoring chance of the half, and it was pretty tame to be honest, came in the 31st minute when Doneil Henry's header off a corner kick was comfortably handled by Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall.
The deadlock was broken in the 44th minute thanks to some abysmal defending by the Reds inside the penalty area. An unmarked Bobby Boswell headed Davis' corner kick to the far post for a wide open Carr to nod home.
The Dynamo easily held TFC at bay for the duration of the second half, with the Reds failing to seriously test Hall in Houston's net.
Ching's goal in the 86th minute sealed the win for the Dynamo and sent TFC fans racing towards the exits.
NOTES: Toronto and Houston face off again on Aug. 25 in Texas... TFC's next game is Aug. 1 at home against El Salvador's Club Deportivo Aguila in the CONCACAF Champions League. Three days later the Reds return to MLS action when they visit the Chicago Fire...
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